Highlights
Levada Paths - Madeira's unique irrigation channels are centuries-old and offer gentle walking trails that wind through the island’s scenic towns and forests. The Balcony Walk - This famous trail links Pico do Areeiro and Pico Ruivo, Madeira’s highest peaks - and rewards hikers with dramatic, cloud-level mountain views. Funchal - Explore the island’s laid-back capital, home to beautiful gardens, historic buildings and the colourful Mercado dos Lavradores farmers' market selling exotic fruit. Christmas departure - Get into the festive spirit with Christmas markets, midnight mass and Funchal's spectacular New Year fireworks display.
Itinerary
Discover the wild allure of Madeira on the "Walking in Madeira" tour, an 8-day guided walking journey starting in Madeira and ending in Funchal. Perfect for seasoned travelers, this moderate trek unveils volcanic peaks, cascading waterfalls, and dramatic coastlines—highlighted by the famous Levada paths and the Balcony Walk between Arieiro and Ruivo. Along the way, immerse yourself in local culture with Madeiran wine and festive markets, especially on Christmas and New Year departures. The trip’s USP? A blend of geological wonders and authentic island life, allowing you to experience Madeira’s natural and cultural treasures in equal measure.
day 1Join trip in Santana
Our tour begins today in Santana, perched atop cliffs on Madeira's north coast. The beautiful village is home to the famous 'Bordado da Madeira' embroidery and traditional thatched, A-frame houses known as 'palheiros'. For those arriving in time, your Tour Leader will meet you in the hotel reception at 7.30pm for a welcome meeting and for those that wish, there is the chance to go out for dinner. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Madeira Airport (FNC), which is around a 30-minute drive from the hotel. Should you miss the welcome meeting, your tour leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up. Tonight, you might like to try one of the fresh seafood dishes that Madeira is known for, such as tuna with fried maize or black scabbard with fried banana, and for dessert why not sample the local passionfruit pudding (pudim de maracuja)? Madeira is famed for its exotic fruit cultivation, with passion fruit a staple, featuring in everything from cocktails to jams.
day 2Scenic coastal walk along the Vereda do Larano to Porto da Cruz
day 3Walk through UNESCO-listed Laurisilva Forest to Faja do Penedo
day 4Hike Levada do Alecrim from Rabaçal to Risco Waterfall
day 5Visit the westernmost tip of the island and levada Nova Valley walk
day 6Explore the streets of Funchal. Free afternoon, optional wine tasting and whale watching
day 7Walk to Pico Ruivo Madeira's highest peak
day 8Trip ends in Funchal
What's Included
Customer Reviews
A great tour, with a variety of walks, (agree on level 3) taking in different sceneries, locations, gradients and types of paths. Got a good snapshot of Madeira. Adjustments made to suit the weather, but this was no issue . Nice to stay in different locations in the week, all good. Tour leader João was excellent, very friendly, informative, with the essential good sense of humour. He went over and above organising things for group members. Great food recommendations in the evenings too. Can recommend this tour.
Great walk. Good fun. Lovely interesting place. Very good and enthusiastic leader
Already done this 2x
Excellent trip which covers a lot of ground in a week. Leader Joao was knowledgeable about all aspects of Madeira and catered for all the group’s needs well. Hotels were comfortable and recommendations for eating out were spot on. Walks were about right in terms of length and challenge. I’d rate them moderate +.
Madeira was a gorgeous island. Our group leader (Filipe) was outstanding. Very organized and helpful... was great with the logistics and on the hikes, and really went above and beyond to make sure we all had a great time. The hikes were mostly fantastic. We were lucky to get to do the Pico Ruivo from Pico Arieiro (now reopened). The itinerary should have absolutely included the Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço (which we were lucky enough to do on our own). The hotel Euro Moniz and Ocean Garden were great. The Hotel O Colmo in Santana was clearly the weakest of the 3 (good restaurant though). Overall a lovely trip, and will definitely travel with you guys again.
Monthly Price Comparison
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